Believe it or not.... another birthday (Actually TWO)!

Here we are, only in March and it seems that we have had one birthday after another!  It was Ellie's birthday next.  Fun fact.... Ellie and Doug share a birthday!  Ellie turned 15 this year and Doug turned 42!  How is that even possible?  I was with Ellie a couple days before the "actual" day and I got to see Doug on his actual birthday! 

Ellie has been collecting these specific stuffed animals for a long time.  Here is the Grandma explanation of what they are- there is some YouTube creator that has a show that Ellie watches and somehow these are part of that show???? Anyway, I think this one is named Fred the Plant.  She was happy with it.   Ellie is not very happy being 15.  It means that she will be taking Drivers Ed this summer, and she is a bit anxious about it.  I'm sure when the reality of being able to come and go on her own hits her, she will warm up to the idea of driving.  Her other presents represented Ellie's unique personality and interests including crocheting and painting, and theater.  There was a specific paint brush cleaner that she has had on her "wish lists" for several years that was always out of stock.  Somehow, I managed to snag it and she was especially glad to have it.  I also gifted her some special "character shoes" that are used for play production. It is much harder to figure out what to get kids, once they are teens!

I have especially enjoyed driving Ellie to dance this year since it gives me time alone with her every week.  She has taken a real interest in stage theater, especially musicals.  Currently she has a role in the play "Honk" which will be performed at the end of April.  I heard all about the possible summer production of  "Mean Girls" that Ellie and her friends are all planning to audition for.  Ellie has worked hard this year on her home school material and plans to be done with school in April.  Quite a good accomplishment for her freshman year of high school.  One thing is for certain, she is going to miss Lia when she leaves for college next fall. I am so thankful that I get to spend time with her.  She is an amazing young kid that I'm sure will surprise us all in the years ahead!

I didn't remember to snap a picture of Doug on his birthday, but I did get this photo of the gift bag I found.  It was one of those times that you just can't pass up a perfect gift bag!

It looked like a fishing vest, covered with fishing lures!  It was perfect to hold the book I ordered for him, which was some kind of instructional book about tying flies for fishing.  At any rate, he was delighted with it!  On the weekend following his birthday, I took Doug, Susie, Grace and Jimmy out for a celebration birthday breakfast. Again, I totally forgot to snap any pictures of the event!  (This scrapping grandma is really slipping up!) Afterwards, Susie and Doug trimmed the tree in my front yard.

This nonfruit bearing crabapple tree has really grown in the last few years.  Some of the branches were so low and hanging so far over the driveway that it was a hazard!  Not only did they trim so many branches, they also cut them up and bagged them.  To top it all off, they even took them home to dispose of them! (I have to pay for my yard waste and theirs is free).  It is a wonderful thing to have someone like Susie who knows how to do this!  The tree looks beautiful now, and assuming that we don't have any late winter snow, should soon be in full bloom!

I watched Grace and Jimmy inside while Susie and Doug handled the tree trimming.  We had a week of rain, so it was much too wet for us to be outside.  Afterwards, we had a quick visit.  Jimmy begs to come to my house.  He really hasn't had much time here, so there are lots of things to explore.  As usual, Grace went immediately to my scrap room and found paper, tape, fancy scissors, and markers to make an art project. 

So, here we are in the middle of March.  This year has really gone by quickly.  Easter is so early this year, so I am anticipating a much colder than normal celebration for our family.  I look forward to Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter every year.  But it is hard to feel very "spring like" when it is still March!  

Four years ago our world came to a halt with all the Covid restrictions.  During those days and days of isolation and quarantine, the uncertainties loomed over us.  How long would this last?  How could we keep from getting this terrible sickness?  How could we keep Ken safe from this when he was already so sick?  Would we run out of supplies?  Yes, it was a scary time.  I remember sitting in my scrapbook room, trying to imagine the future.  It seemed an impossible task when surrounded by all the unknowns.  What I have come to realize this year, is every day is actually exactly like those early days back in March of 2020.  In reality, we don't know what tomorrow will bring.  We can not say if any one of our family or friends will fall ill.  We don't know with certainty what the future holds.  But we can know exactly who holds our future.  It is such a comfort to know that Jesus is my provider and my refuge and my strength!  In my daily Bible reading yesterday that seemed to be the theme!  I always find it interesting when the verses I read fit perfectly with what is happening in my day.  As I considered those verses last night, I realized how appropriate they are for today.  Everyone who went through those weeks and months in 2020, feels that stomach clenching fear, thinking about those memories.  But the very good news then and now is that God's got this!  So, I will end with these verses from Psalm 46:1-3,7....

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Jesus, thank you for birthdays and time to celebrate together.  Holy Spirit, remind us during those times of worry and fretting that You are always with us.  Give us courage and boldness to remain calm when tings are shaking around us.  Thank you for providing helpers around us when we need them.  Amen

 

An unexpected bump in the road of life....it is 2020 after all!

Well, here we go again!  Ken has been in the hospital twice in the last week.  Thankfully we arrived home earlier today and he is feeling much better.  I know, you are thinking right now, what happened?  Again? This is not an easy answer, but one that will take a bit of an explanation.

After he had septic shock in January and was so sick, there was an ongoing discussion about a spot on his liver.  I believe that I have written about this before.  One doctor thought it was an abscess and one doctor thought it was a tumor.  The radiologist didn't want to do anything to look at the spot until further tests were done.  So, it was agreed that we would do monthly CAT scans to follow up.  The first month there was a decrease in the size of the spot.  We were thrilled.  This indicated that it most likely was an infection and the antibiotics were working.  Each month after that, the spot remained unchanged.  So after the 4th CAT scan, the two doctors decided that a biopsy was the best way to finally "see" exactly what this was.  So, last Friday (just one week ago)  Ken had a biopsy of this area.  After the biopsy was done, he had significant bleeding from his liver.  So they had to do an Hepatic angiogram and embolisze the bleeding areas of the liver.    Because he had lost so much blood he needed 5 units of blood and spent a night in the hospital.    We had several days of waiting for the results of the biopsy. When we finally received the news, sadly, it is liver cancer.  

The good news is that it is a very slow growing cancer and since January, Ken had been CAT scanned and MRI'd from head to toe and they have not found any other site of cancer.  We see the Oncologist on Tuesday and should have a better idea of how things are going to proceed after our visit with her.

We were just adjusting to the news of the cancer, when Ken began to run a high fever and had a wicked cough.  Now being that this is 2020, we feared he might have COVID (since he had just been in the hospital).  But thankfully it was not COVID (two negative tests in one week) but rather he had aspirated during the biopsy/angio procedures and gotten pneumonia.  So a few days of IV antibiotics and some further testing to make sure that was all that was going on, and here we are!  So thankful to be home today.  

Our first big THANKFULNESS of these events, is that the hospital policy changed the day of Ken's procedure last week and 2 visitors are allowed for each inpatient!  This is the first that any visitors have been allowed in the hospital since March.  This would have been so much harder if I could not be with him.  

There were two interesting items that were viewed out the window of his room. The first is this statue which is in a closed courtyard area.  All I could think about when I looked at this was "They are not social distancing"!  It's amazing how quickly we get used to not being close to or touching others.  It was also interesting for me to wear a mask all day since it was required of all visitors.  Something I never thought I would be doing for sure.

  

The second thing were these windows on the opposite side of the hospital.   The window in the top center of the picture is the room that Ken spent three weeks in Intensive Care in January/February.  That entire floor has become the COVID unit, along with the floor below.  The windows are open because there are negative pressure fans that are blowing all the air out of the rooms.  According to one worker, the units are very large and very loud in each room.  

Seeing these signs of the effect of COVID on an area that we were just in, was very sobering.  We are so thankful that Ken's illness happened before COVID was on the scene.  Gwen, Doug and I can't imagine what it would have been like to not be present during that time.  It certainly made our time spent "sheltered in place" at home seem more necessary.   The good news is,  this hospital has a very small number of COVID patients right now and many available beds.  This is why our area is able to move into phase 4 as of today.  Again THANKFUL!

So, sitting here at home, recounting the last week, I can't imagine what is ahead.  I know that today has enough worry of its own and I don't need to worry about tomorrow.  Lately, I have had to remind myself of this often.  We sure were not expecting a cancer diagnosis, but when is it ever an expected diagnosis.  We are so thankful for the team of Doctors that have been with us for years, that know Ken very well and don't have to page through mountains of documents to figure out what is going on.  These very talented (and I am sure, tired) doctors have made it a point to keep us fully informed.  We could not ask for better care.  

So we will walk into next week, knowing that Ken is at the best place he can be right now.  And most of all, we know that Jesus is with us, surrounding us and keeping us during this time.  Until the appointment  we will celebrate that restaurants are beginning to open near us and we might be able to have a nice breakfast INSIDE in a few days.  We will enjoy Morton Arboretum which has been opened to timed entry for the last few weeks.  A drive through the quiet tree lined paths is just what the doctor ordered.  And we just might watch a few good old comedy movies.  For today, we are just thankful!

Jesus, thank you for your real presence with us during all of 2020.  You were not taken by surprise when COVID came around.  Thank you for the doctors, nurses and all of the hospital workers who have served our communities under really trying circumstances.  Holy Spirit, keep us all mindful that God numbers our days and no one knows what lies ahead.  Thank you Jesus, for your protection for our family and friends.    Amen